Antenna folding mechanism



Jan. 9, 1945. I Y JR 2,367,164

ANTENNA FOLDING MECHANI SM File d Oct. 3, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. L.K.YERGER,JR.

is EFIGV a M ATTO EY Patented Jan. 9, 1945- signer to The Glenn L.Martin Company, Middle River, Md., a corporation of Maryland Applicationct0ber 3, 1942, Serial No. 460,614 g 7 Claims. (01. 250-43) Thisinvention relates to a folding antenna-for any vehicle but isparticularly adapted for air 4 craft.

By this invention, a streamlined metal antenna rod may be erected foruse or folded into a recess in the skin of the craft, at will.

An antenna made according to this invention presents about one-eighth ofthe dra due to frontal area resistance of the ordinary antenn andinsulator assembly. v

Further and other objects will become apparent from the description ofthe accompanying drawings which form a part of this disclosure and inwhich like numeralsrefer to like parts.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the folding antenna. i

. Figure 2 is a sectional view through the folding mechanism housingshowing the antenna retracted. v

Figure 3 is a section taken on the lineIII'III of Figure 2. a a I Figure4 is a sectional viewthrough the folding mechanism housing showin theantenna erected.

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line VV of view of a modification Jbeyond the surface of the skin 2 of the craft on which it is mounted.This projecting portion is streamlined to offer a minimum resistance toairflow.

The antenna rod 3, is streamline in crosssection to offer a minimumresistanceto airflow and also to enable it to slide easily between thelips of the sealing gaskets 44.

Thehousing I, part of which projects outside the skin 2, and the restextends withinthe skin, is made of plastic or any'similar materialhaving the necessary mechanical strength and insulating properties. Itwill be noted on Figure 6, that the housing is made in two parts, 5 andii. A slot 1 is formed by the two parts 5 and 5 in the portion of thehousing that projects beyond the skin of the craft. I The edges of slotI carry the resilient sealing means 4, shown in sealing position inFigure 9, and shown in Figur 5, parted by the antenna rod but preservingthe sealed relationship of the parts. i

The rod 3 is held securely between the halves of the disc 8 which ismounted on the shaft 9 which pivots on pin Ill. Disc 8 is made from thematerial specified for housing I. Bolts serve to clamp the halves of thedisc 8 together and secure the worm gear,l2 to the disc 8. The wormgear. l2 is turned in either direction by worm l3 mounted on shaft 14which may be driven by a motor, or by hand. I

The clip l5 receives the end of the rod 3 when in the extended position.Radiant energy is supplied to the rod through connection It and clip I5.

When the rod is retracted, the first few degrees of movement serve todisconnect the power from the antenna, if it has not been previouslydisconnected. For this reason, there is no chance of a radio frequencyare to the skin of the craft. It will also-be noted that when theantenna is in the operative position, the skin of the craft is wellspaced from the antennae to afford a long leakage path in any direction.

On the side of block 8, opposite the gear l2,'

are secured slip rings'Zl and 22, which, together with contacts 23 to26, form limit switches for raising and lowering the antennae. Whenswitch 21 is closed, motor 28 will be energized to raise the antennae toa vertical position and switch 29 will cause the motor to lower theantennae to a horizontal position. 35

If the antenna is in the extended position; shown in Figure 4, and it isdesired to retract it,

the shaft !4 is turned by the motor 28 or any other means, and rotatesthe worm gear I! in a clockwise direction. After a few degrees ofmovement, the rod 3 disengages the clip I5, thus deenergizing the rod.The rod 3 continues to move in a clockwise direction, until stopped inthe retracted position by the limit switch. The streamlined shape of therod, serves to part the resilient lips 4 to permit passage of the rod,and close after the rod, thus maintaining the seal. The

' rod finally comes to rest in member H, which may be of resilientmaterial as shown or merely a groove in the skin.

To extend the antenna rod, the shaft I4 is merely caused to rotate inthe opposite direction.

In the modification shown in Figures 7 and 8,.

the'parts function as above described except that the rod 3 may beretracted through the sealing meansktaa'positidnwithin the skin of thecraft.

The top of the housing l8, of insulating material, is flush with the"skin to minimize drag. A long leakage path is provided by the circulartop l8.

The limit switch shown in Figure 10 will serve to stop the motor whenthe mast has reached either the extended or retracted positions. Thisswitch is only intended to show one form of limit switch which might beused, as several other equivalent switches could easily be used.

It is to be understood that certain changes, alterations, modificationsand substitutions can be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a vehicle, a retractable antennae mast mounted onsaid vehicle, an elongated slot formed in the outer surface of thevehicle substantially equal in length to the length of said mast, a pairof resilient, strips each having one side secured to the edges of saidslot and extending thereover, the free sides of said strips being incontact normally closing said slot but permitting the passage of theantennae mast during the retraction of said mast, poweroperated meansfor the movement of said mast from the extended to the retractedposition.

2. A retractable antennae mast for mounting adjacent the outer surfaceof a vehicle comprising, a housing of moulded electrical insulatingmaterial mountedin the surface of the vehicle,-

said vehicle and said housing having an elongated slot formed thereinsubstantially equal in length to the length of said mast to permit themove ment of said mast, a pair of resilient strips secured to the edgesof said slot and extending thereover to form a closure therefor, betweenwhich said mast moves from the extended to the retracted position, saidmast being secured in a member of insulating material ,which is pivotedin said housing, a worm gear secured to said mem-- ber actuated by aworm to move said mast.

3. A retractable antennae mast mounted for movement from an extendedposition, to a position within the surface of a vehicle, a housing ofplastic material mounted adjacent said surface, a pivoted disc member ofplastic material mounted in the housing to support the mast for movementrelative to the surface, a worm gear secured to said disc member andworm to move said disc member, a two-part electrical connector, one partof which is carried by the movable mast assembly, and the other partcarried by said housing, which parts separate, thus disconnecting saidelectric connector after a few degrees of motion of said mast assembly.

4. A retractable antennae mast adapted for movement from an extended toa retracted posijacent housing structure.

5; A retractable antennae mast mounted for movement from an extendedposition, to a position within the surface of a vehicle, a housing ofinsulating material mounted adjacent said surface, a movable mastassembly comprising a pivoted member of insulating material mounted inthe housing to support the mast for movement relative to said surface,means to move said pivoted member and said mast, an electrical connectorhaving a portion mounted on the movable mast assembly and a cooperatingportion carried by said housing, which portions separate, thusdisconnecting said electrical connector after a few degrees of motion ofsaid mast assembly.

6. A remotely controlled, power operated antennae mast adapted to bemounted on a vehicle and connected to an electric circuit, an elongatedslot substantially equal in length to the length of said mast formed inthe surface of said vehicle, meansfor pivoting said mast about atransverse axis relative to the surface of said vehicle, whereby saidmast may be retracted through said slot, Within the surface of saidvehicle, and means for disconnecting said antennae mast from saidelectric circuit upon the pivotal motion of the mast.

7. A retractable antennae mast mounted for movement from an extendedposition to a position within the surface of a vehicle, a housing ofinsulating material adjacent said surface, said housing and said vehiclehaving slots formed 40 therein Which are aligned to form a continuousslot through which the mast moves to the position within the-surface ofthe vehicle, resilient closure means secured to the edges of said slotto cover and close the slot but which do not interfere with theretraction of the mast within the surface of said vehicle, a movablemast assembly comprising a pivoted member of insulating material mountedin th housing to support the mast for movement relative to the surface,means to move said pivoted member and said mast, an-electrical connectorhaving a portion mounted on the movable mast assembly and a cooperatingportion carried on said housing which portion separate, thusdisconnecting said electrical connector after a few degrees motion ofsaid mast assembly.

LEONARD K. YERGER, JR.

